Shadow adds the latest generation of Nvidia and AMD GPUs to the cloud gaming service

Shadow adds a new level of subscription to its cloud gaming service with access to Nvidia’s equivalent and the latest generation of AMD graphics cards for an additional $ 14.99 per month. The new level of Power Upgrade is an optional addition to Shadow’s existing $ 29.99 subscription service, resulting in a total price of just under $ 45. In addition, the company is announcing an expansion in more countries, a new online storage service and a service that makes its cloud machines available to professional users.

Unlike Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming service or Google Stadia, which only allows you to stream their games, Shadow’s functionality is much broader. It essentially offers you remote access to the Windows 10 desktop in the cloud running on powerful hardware. From there, you can install games from any game store you choose and run them on a machine that can be much more powerful than the device you’re transmitting it to.

Shadow says Power Upgrade will give users cloud access to a machine running an AMD EPYC 7543P CPU with four cores and eight threads, 16 GB of RAM and a “high-end GPU”. The sample GPUs listed include the Nvidia RTX 3070-class graphics card, Nvidia’s equivalent, Professional-friendly GPU, and AMD’s latest RDNA 2-based GPUs, including the Radeon Pro V620. However, you will not be able to choose the exact GPU when paying – it will be assigned based on the availability of the data center. In contrast, the current Shadow level of $ 29.99 lists the equivalent of a much older GTX 1080 GPU as its graphics card.

Shadow’s new price level makes it more expensive than Nvidia’s high-end equivalent for its own GeForce Now streaming service, which is designed to offer RTX 3080-level hardware for $ 19.99 a month. Shadow is less restrictive than Nvidia, which offers a selection of games from Steam or the Epic Games Store. If you can install a game on a Windows 10 machine, you should theoretically be able to play it on Shadow.

Earlier, Shadow released more powerful levels – Ultra and Infinite – when its baseline plan cost only $ 11.99 per month. But a year later, the company raised the price at that standard level to $ 29.99 a month, and by the end of 2021, its frequently asked questions said that Shadow had officially canceled the launch in the United States of the two upgraded subscriptions. That’s what spokesman Thomas Bofils said On the edge that the company still has users subscribed to its Ultra and Infinite plans and that they have not been terminated completely, but is not accepting new registrations.

Along with the new Power Upgrade, Shadow also announced that it will expand to Canada and Austria this fall, joining existing markets such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. It also has a new standalone cloud storage feature coming to Europe this fall that offers 20GB of free storage or 2TB for € 8.99 per month. Finally, the company also offers its cloud machines to professional users with “custom projects” designed to be used by anyone from 3D artists to architects or engineers in need of powerful cloud hardware.

Shadow says its new Power Upgrade will be available for pre-order this summer and aims to launch in all markets in the fall.